238 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



August, September, and October were counterparts of the three preceding 

 months — overcasts, drought, and disagreeable weather mornings and even- 

 ings were at their maximum for ten years. August, no rain. September, 

 one half an inch fell the day following an eclipse of the moon, which 

 occurred on the 23d, at 10 o'clock p. m., invisible on account of clouds and 

 overcast. Thermometer marked the maximum temperature of the year 

 on the 21st, at 2 o'clock p. m., 89°. During October the precipitation was 

 only .30 of an inch; rather unusual, but not without precedent. 



November — The extremes appertaining to the weather culminated on the 

 beginning of this month. Solar and lunar halos preceded the rains, which 

 were very frequent, and gave a rainfall unprecedented in amount for 

 November. On the seventeenth a heavy rainfall prevailed, which poured 

 in torrents for a few hours in the early morning. Large portions of the sur- 

 face of the streets and vacant grounds were covered with water. Sewers 

 and gutters were overflowed; barometer fell to 29.39, lowest observed in 

 Oakland during the time of observation, ten years; showery during the day 

 and night, until about four o'clock p. m. of the eighteenth, when a peculiar 

 phenomenon occurred by the various air currents which came to and near 

 the surface of the earth. Dark, heavy clouds overcast nearly the whole 

 horizon, and near the surface of the earth, bounding the visible horizon all 

 round, a bank of black, dark clouds gave every appearance of a severe 

 storm. The upper currents of the atmosphere were moving in several direc- 

 tions; but at the surface, and coming over the eastern foothills, a high wind 

 blew from the northeast, passing over the city to the southwest a short dis- 

 tance, when it met a counter current which turned it upward in its course, 

 where it arose high in the air, dispelling the dark clouds, then turning 

 backward upon itself towards the northeast, and descending to the tops of 

 the foothills, covering them with a white, fleecy vapor, in striking contrast 

 with the dark rain clouds in the background. This current moved in a 

 circle of a short distance in diameter at a right angle to the surface of the 

 earth, like some great wheel, rising high enough to cut into and through 

 the dark storm-cloud overhead, dashing and breaking up all clouds it came 

 in contact with, into a white fog or foam. There were three atmospherical 

 currents prevailing at the same time — one from the east, one from the south- 

 southwest, and one from the northwest. Clouds were passing in each of 

 these currents, in the direction to which they were moving, but it was very 

 difficult to account for the circular and vertical current that was seen, and 

 the violent phenomenon it produced for the short time it existed. The 

 great atmospherical currents-, when they came in contact with it, disap- 

 peared for the time being in the vortex of the circular current, and were 

 lost in its rapid motion on its axis. The month was phenomenal in its great 

 amount of rainfall — 11.11 inches. 



December — Nothing unusual occurred — light frost, rain and growing 

 weather for vegetation. On the thirtieth, at 9:50 o'clock, a shock of an 

 earthquake was felt, lasting several seconds; vibrations from east to west, 

 half gyratory, then lifting. It was attended with a deep rumbling sound. 

 Pendent objects swayed to and fro, and loose windows rattled in their 

 casements. A heavy mist and light sprinkle of rain prevailed at the time; 

 p. m., clear, cool, and very pleasant. 



